THESE ARE THE THINGS YOU SHOULD TEACH

Titus 2:1-15

Key Verse 15

“These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.”

Introduction

In this passage apostle Paul directs Titus about the faithful discharge of his own duty and different group of people in the church. He also gives the grounds of the instructions. Paul encourages Titus to apply the sound doctrine to Christians’ practical life.

1. Read verses 1-5. What did Paul exhort Titus to teach? (1) What should Titus teach older men in regard to how to they should conduct themselves? (2) What should he teach the older women? (3) What should be taught to the younger women? (5)

1-1. Read verses 1-5.

You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine. 2 Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.3 Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 4 Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

1-2. What did Paul exhort Titus to teach? (1)

You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine.

· You ; As a pastor and shepherd for church and God’s flock, his main duty was to teach what was appropriate to sound doctrine.

· Must : It was Titus’ solemn duty that he had to discharge by any means despite any challenges or difficulties that he could face doing the work. Also It must be done for the church to stand firm on the truth and be healthy and grow.

· What is appropriate to sound doctrine : All teaching must be match with sound doctrine. Even if some teaching sounds wonderful and interesting, if it is not appropriate to sound doctrine, it should not be taught in the church.

· Sound doctrine produce healthy spiritual life and is solid foundation of the Christian life.

· Christians’ message and Christians’ ethics should be related.The opponents rejected the sound doctrine and perverted the way of Christian life that is related to the doctrine.

· Without the sound doctrine there can be no sound Christian ethics.

· The Christian way of life is in accordance with the Christian message by serving its missionary purpose. Good Christian life adorns the gospel and makes it attractive to those who look on. Believer's lifestyle must be subjected to the test of biblical principles.

1-3. What should Titus teach older men in regard to how to they should conduct themselves? (2)

Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.

· Teach the older men: Even older men should be taught appropriately. Even though Titus was younger than them, as God’s servant and church leader he was supposed to teach them things based on word of God. But he should teach them with much respect and humility.

· Be temperate: Older men should be able to control his temper and anger. Otherwise they could fight others and are not able to show good example to younger ones.

· Worthy of respect : Older men should be worthy of respect that younger ones may listen to them and learn from them. For older men, becoming a man whom people can respect should be their goal and fruit of their life before God. If older people try to lead younger ones with their authority only without being worthy of respect, young ones would not listen.

· Self-controlled: older people should be able to do self-control themselves for the all areas of their life especially for their temper and desire.

· Sound in faith, in love and endurance: older men should have be sound in faith, in love and endurance with sound doctrine and faithfulness.

· In teaching others we must not stay in generals, but must divide to every one his portion, what belongs to age, or place, or condition of life; they must be particular as well as practical in their preaching; they must teach men their duty, and must teach all and each his duty.

· Those who are full of years should be full of grace and goodness, the inner man renewing more and more as the outer decays.

1-4. What should he teach the older women? (3)

teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 4 Then they can urge the younger women

· Teach the older women: older women should be taught too with word of God.

· To be reverent in the way they live : older woman should be reverent in the way they live. Instead of talking too much, they should show good example in their practical life by doing good things before God such as faithful prayer, caring, loving, and having wisdom.

· Not to be slanderers: older women should be careful about they say and avoid slandering others by any means.

· slandering or backbiting their neighbors is a great and too common fault. A slanderer is one whose tongue is set on fire of hell. It is the devil’s work. This is a sin contrary to the great duties of love; it springs often from malice and hatred, or envy, and such like evil causes.

· Addicted to much wine: older women could try to comfort themselves through unhealthy way such as drinking alcohol. They need to learn the way how to find true comfort, joy and satisfaction in Jesus and enjoy things that are beneficial to them. Addiction destroy body and mind.

1-5. What should be taught to the younger women? (5)

Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

· Young women refer to married women.

• “Then they can urge the younger women to..” indicates that the younger women can listen Titus’ teaching but Titus have the old women help them, for it could be wise for Titus to help them through the old women coworkers.

· To love their husband and children : This is the basic virtue that Christian women should have at home. The instruction is begun from their household.

· Be self-controlled and pure: Some women lived according to their sinful desire following false teachers’ wrong doctrine. Purity and self-control must characterize the lifestyle of the Christian woman

· Be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands. : Young women were supposed to be a good housemakers taking care of house chores diligently and kind to family members and subject to their husband.

· So that no one will malign the word of God: God's name would be slandered by the people because of the ungodly behavior of God's own people .

· The word of God and the gospel of Christ are pure, excellent, and glorious, in themselves; and their excellency should be expressed and shown in the lives and conduct of believers, especially in relative duties.

2. Read verses 6-10. What is the advice for young men? (6). How should Titus set an example as a leader? (7, 8) What are the instructions for slaves? (9, 10)

2-1. Read verses 6-10.

Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. 7 In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness 8 and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. 9 Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, 10 and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive

2-2. What is the advice for young men? (6).

Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled : For young man, self-control is most important to live as a Christian and become a useful servant of God who can please God. Many young people fail in living sincere Christian life due to lack of self-control.

. “Similarly,” - It means that it is quite similar in the principles to live godly like with other groups. However there is a bit different emphasis on their spiritual need.

· Young men are apt to be eager and hot, thoughtless and precipitant; therefore they must be earnestly called upon and exhorted to be considerate, not rash; advisable and submissive, not wilful and head-strong; humble and mild, not haughty and proud; for there are more young people ruined by pride than by any other sin.

2-3. How should Titus set an example as a leader? (7, 8)

In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness 8 and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.

· In everything set them an example by doing what is good: A leader should lead others through good examples not just words. He needs to make effort to be an example in everything. Anyone who is teaching others should follow this instruction first.

· Teacher could not successful in teaching others, unless he did conduct himself well both in his conversation and preaching. Teachers must be examples to the flock, and the people followers of them

· When we do what is good, it can be an example to others.

· In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech:

· The teaching, "with integrity" focuses on motive of teaching and content of the teaching that are right before God. His teaching must exhibit seriousness.

· His teaching also should be "sound"—that is, "healthy" in its doctrine, and untainted by the false beliefs.

· those who oppose you may be ashamed : When Christians’ life and teaching is sound and exemplary people cannot criticize them. Rather they will be ashamed.

2-4. What are the instructions for slaves? (9, 10)

Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, 10 and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive

. In James’ time, people could be embarassed by mixing slaves and masters in the church meeting and service. It is quite possible to see a slave to become a teacher.

· He commanded slaves to be models of decency in their respective roles. "Subordination" was the traditional abbreviation for willing acceptance of the realities of this social institution and compliant, respectful behavior within it

· They should obey their masters in everything to try to please them, not to talk back to them : It was slave’s duty to serve master’s will so that the master might be pleased with what they did.

· They were encouraged to show that they can be fully trusted. Joseph is good example. While he was serving his master as slave, his master entrusted everything to Joseph with full trust.

· so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive. The goal of showing all these good behavior and living good Christian life is to make the teaching about God attractive so that people may come to God and believe and be saved. Our good deeds and life is powerful and very effective message about God to the people.

· Christian's respectful attitude and speech, backed up by good performance, will demonstrate that God's message of salvation produces positive, visible results. This is an opportunity for witness that we must not miss.

3. Read verses 11-15. To whom does the grace of God offer salvation? (11) What kind of life should we live as the ones who received the grace of God? (12) What is the blessed hope we wait for? (13) Why did Jesus give himself to us? (14) What should Titus do even though he was a young leader?

3-1. Read verses 11-15.

11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.15 These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.

3-2. To whom does the grace of God offer salvation? (11)

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people :

. The grace of God offers salvation to all people. God wants all people to have chance to be saved and when Christians make gospel message attractive through their good behavior and lifestyle people may want to know God and be saved.

3-3. What kind of life should we live as the ones who received the grace of God? (12)

It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,

. “It teaches us to say” - we are strong in the grace of God like 2 Timothy 2:1-2. We then are able to say no to ungodliness and worldly passion, for we have lost our appetite for such things.

· We should resist ungodliness and worldly passions.

· We should live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age despite of strong challenges of this world.

3-4. What is the blessed hope we wait for? (13)

while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ

. We have the blessed hope and we can overcome this world and live a life that can please God because of the blessed hope.

· We are living in this world as stranger waiting for the blessed the hope.

3-5. Why did Jesus give himself to us? (14)

who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

· God redeemed us from all wickedness and purify us and eager to do what is good. This is the purpose of salvation.

· We should live according to the purpose of God’s salvation.

· Once we are saved we need to struggle to overcome our sin and make all effort to do what is good.

3-6. What should Titus do even though he was a young leader?

These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.

· Titus should teach all the things that Paul taught without missing or omitting. Whether people like them or not he should teach just as they are.

· He should encourage and rebuke God’s flock with all authority. He should use his all authority to help people to repent and grow. God gave him the authority for the purpose.

· Do not let anyone despise you : As a leader he should not let anyone despise him by showing good examples. Also he has to let people respect him as God’s servant.

Christians must conduct themselves in everything agreeably to the Christian doctrine.

Conclusion

Believers should reflect their faith and belief through their practical life. Older ones should set up good example to the younger ones through their teaching, the way of life and godly character. Younger ones should do self-control overcoming evil desire. Teachers and leaders should lead people by showing good examples in action and words. The grace of God offers salvation to all people. We should share the grace of God with all people. We should do eagerly what is good waiting for the blessed hope-the appearing of the glory of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

One word : These are the things you should teach.